Burned by the Heat of Winter
by freaky-hanyou
Summary: It's finally snowed outside, and Otoya is excited to spend some quality time with Haruka enjoying the winter weather. However, they enjoy themselves a little -too- much (coughcough) and our dear red-headed idol gets sick, needing some good old TLC...emphasis on the L of course. TWOshot (so a long Oneshot) Smut Warning Otoya/Haruka
1. Part One

Hey there! So unlike Tokiya's and Ren's stories that had _some_ situational storyline to them, Otoya's is more…cute. And fluffy. And loosely defined. And somehow, this made the story _huge._ Longer than Tokiya's even, which impressed even me. So much so, that for your enjoyment and my sanity, this "oneshot" needs to be grown into a twoshot, two parts. So the **lemon** is written, and it will be in Part Two. But it's just…so much story, I don't know how this happened. Haha.

It's like Shojo Adventures with Otoya and Haruka really. Heehee.

Disclaimer: ::laughter::

Also, for clarification, this follows more of the game storyline, where the guy you end up with is who you end up partnering with, hence unlike the anime, everyone is _not_ in love with her. And in Otoya's route, Shining lets them be together but it has to be secret. Aaaand they still live in the Master's building. Because.

"talking" _thinking _((me/scene change))

So, enjoy.

**Burned by the Heat of Winter**

_Part One_

Haruka lazily rolled over in bed to face the clock, burying herself even deeper into her nest of blankets. Said clock cheerily gleamed '1:15', almost mocking her by daring to display the true time. Haruka never slept in this late; historically she had always been a morning person, and she was always her most productive in the early hours when mostly everyone still slept. However, today was the rare exception to the rule, and Haruka had zero desire to get out of bed. She had been struggling with a song the night before, and just when she was about to give up a wave of inspiration had struck her. She had ended up staying awake, working until nearly dawn. She glanced at the clock again, deciding that she had to start the day sooner or later. She pulled off the covers, shivering at the loss of heat as she sat up, slowly making her way out of bed and to the dresser. Maybe if she hurried there'd still be some lunch—

"Haruka! Haruka, you've _got_ to see—" The door flew open just as Haruka was removing her pajama shirt; her arms were over her head, shirt in hand as she stared for a moment in surprise at her sudden guest: her debut partner and secret boyfriend Ittoki Otoya.

Otoya stared at her for a second in complete shock; a topless Haruka was definitely _not_ what he was expecting to see when he entered her bedroom. All at once, the world started moving again and Haruka squealed, hurriedly covering her chest as Otoya immediately turned away, hands plastered over his eyes.

"Haruka I am _so_ sorry!" he said in complete mortification, "I know I should've knocked, but I was just so excited and I _never_ thought I would walk in on you changing I _swear_—"

"It's okay, Otoya," Haruka said, flustered as she quickly put on a bra and shirt, her face almost as crimson as Otoya's hair, "You couldn't have known that I'd sleep this late today." She walked over to him and gently pulled his hands from his eyes. She giggled. His face _was_ the color of his hair.

"I'm sorry," he said again weakly, "I'll knock next time."

Haruka kept his hands tightly grasped in hers. "I believe you," she said, squeezing his hands for emphasis. "What were you so excited about?"

Otoya's eyes lit up as he resumed his original train of thought, tugging her across the room to her curtained window. She released on hand, and he pulled the curtain open, revealing a dazzlingly bright world blanketed in a beautiful covering of white. "It _finally_ snowed yesterday!" he said eagerly, "And I have the day off today!" He gestured at the snowy wonderland outside. "Would you like to spend the day with me?" he asked, unable to keep the unbridled hope from tingeing his voice.

Haruka smiled, bringing her free hand up to touch the frosty glass. They'd been so busy lately; she hadn't been able to spend any real quality time with Otoya in weeks. _I'll just rearrange my schedule and make it work_, she decided. This was Otoya after all, and whatever she needed to do would still be there tomorrow. _Besides, didn't I just make huge progress last night?_ "I'd love to," she said, and Otoya pulled her in for a tight, spontaneous hug.

"Great!" he said enthusiastically, tightening his grip before bringing his lips to the shell of her ear. "I can't wait," he whispered in sincere excitement, and Haruka shivered, her body tingling all over at his words. "It's been way too long." She pulled back just enough to kiss him chastely on the lips.

"I agree," she said with a wide smile. "Would it be okay if I got some lunch first?" she asked, "And finished changing?" She gestured at her pajama pants.

Suddenly remembering the circumstances he initially found her in, he leapt back from her immediately, blush returning to dust his cheeks. "Sure thing!" he said with a grin, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Just let me know when you're ready!" Haruka giggled after the door shut behind him, returning to her dresser.

_Today's going to be a great day._

-((A Couple Hours Later))-

"Can I open my eyes now?" Haruka asked for the third time, clutching Otoya's hands tightly as he led her through the snow to some unknown location.

"Not yet," he said with a smirk, leading her down a forest path while doing his best to make a path for her through the unbroken snow. "Be careful," he warned as they turned, "it's really icy here—"

"Woah!" Haruka exclaimed, her boot slipping on said ice. She let go of Otoya, hands flailing as she fell sideways, certain she was about to land face-first in a pile of snow…so she was unable to hold back a grunt of surprise when she instead landed against a warm chest. Her eyes fluttered open, and Otoya looked down at her, keeping his arms linked firmly around her waist.

"You okay?" he asked in concern. She nodded, and his face broke out into a warm smile. "Good," he said, and he tapped a finger playfully against her nose. "Now close your eyes." Haruka's eyes slid shut once again, and she waited for Otoya to release her waist and tug her forward. Instead, he only shifted to her side, snaking his one hand further around her waist as the other took hold of hers. "This should be easier," he said in an affectionate tone, and the two walked forward together in the snow, Otoya holding her close.

A few minutes later, Otoya halted their forward progress. "We're here!" he said with barely restrained glee, "Are you ready?" Haruka nodded. "Open your eyes."

Haruka opened her eyes, immediately captivated by the winter scene before her. A tiny frozen pond lay nestled amongst snow drifts that were piled sporadically under the immense pine trees. Snow delicately lined their branches as they draped downward, enhancing the secluded feel of the area. "It's beautiful," she said, and Otoya's smile widened.

"Isn't it? We found this place when I was growing up. The pond is much too small to swim in during the summer, but it freezes really easily in the winter! The older kids at the orphanage would lead secret trips here, and we'd skate for hours and hours until we were almost too cold to get back." He laughed softly at the memory as he continued, "It was a lot of fun…At any rate, I'm pretty sure all the younger kids have forgotten where this is by now," he surmised, "so we have the place to ourselves! We can skate as long as we want."

Haruka turned to him in confusion. "Skate? But I don't have any ice ska—" Otoya opened his messenger bag, revealing two pairs of ice skates with a mischievous grin.

"You were saying?" he inquired cheekily, and the two soon sat down on a nearby fallen log to change their shoes. Otoya took her hand and led her onto the ice, skating around in small circles on the pond.

Haruka gripped his hand tightly, and it wasn't to keep her balance as they drifted together around the ice, travelling in lazy circles and easily losing track of time in the peaceful silence. _This is perfect,_ she thought contentedly, _It's nice to spend time together outside without being afraid that someone might see us. _The opportunity to do 'couple things' such as skate hand in hand was a rare thing for the secret pair, so Haruka made sure to cherish every opportunity whenever it presented itself.

Otoya seemed to read her mind as he broke the silence. "I love this," he said, spinning her suddenly around in front of him with one hand. She giggled, taking his other hand as she stopped spinning, gliding closer to him. "Being with you, spending time with you without having to worry about anything is the best feeling in the world." He pulled her even closer, staring deeply into her eyes as he seemed to decide something in that moment. He smiled warmly and rubbed his nose against hers. "I love you."

Haruka's heart skipped a beat as she stared up into Otoya's tender vermillion gaze. He'd never said that before, and Haruka wanted to memorize everything about this moment: every snowflake stuck to his hair, the way his mouth crinkled at the corners from his smile, the way he looked at her as if she was his entire world. She must've stayed quiet too long however, and a frown began to mar Otoya's features. "Haruka?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes!" she exclaimed a little too loudly. "Sorry. I love you too," she said with an embarrassed blush, and his smile returned before he reached up to caress her cheek.

"I'm going to kiss you now," Otoya murmured, his words brimming with compassion. Neither was certain why he felt the need to express this aloud, but nevertheless Haruka's heart rate quickened in anticipation as he dipped his face closer to hers, touching their lips together in a gentle kiss. After a moment, Otoya moved closer instead of pulling away, wrapping his arms around her waist as his kiss suddenly increased in intensity, moving his mouth urgently over hers. Haruka's hands found their way to his shoulders, clutching him tightly as he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. Haruka shivered from the contact, opening her mouth to his and sliding one hand into his soft hair. Otoya groaned against her lips, brushing her tongue with his as he involuntarily pressed his hips forward, grinding himself firmly into her stomach. Haruka's hand spasmed in his hair as she let out a noise of surprise against his lips, taken off-guard by his sudden advance. At that, Otoya seemed to come to his senses, and he pulled back, catching his breath.

"Sorry," he said as he met her gaze with his apologetic one, unable to keep himself from being distracted by the redness of her swollen lips and the flush in her cheeks.

"Don't be," Haruka said immediately, removing her hand from his hair to lightly trace his bottom lip before resting it on his other shoulder. "I didn't think you were going too fast; you just surprised me."

"Really?" Otoya asked, searching her eyes for any misgivings.

"Really," she said before squealing in further surprise as Otoya abruptly swept her into his arms and skated forward. "Otoya-!" she exclaimed, automatically linking her arms around his neck. "What are you—"

"Going back over there," he said, gesturing at the log where they had piled their stuff. "We should get off the ice. If we continue doing _that_ here, there's a chance someone might _woah!_" His words cut off as he skated over a rough spot, causing his skate to wobble and Otoya to lose his balance. Haruka shrieked as they fell, and in a surprising feat of acrobatics Otoya maneuvered himself between her and the hazardous ice rushing up towards them. He let out an _oof_ as she landed safely atop his chest, more startled than injured.

"There's a chance someone might what?" Haruka asked after confirming he was okay, unable to refrain from giggling as she looked down at him.

"…Fall," he finished with a smile, and the two burst into joyful laughter, breaking the stillness of the forest around them. After their giggles faded away, Otoya's gaze intensified, and he reached up, tenderly cupping her cheek with a gloved hand.

"Well since we're already here," he reasoned, smirking as he pulled her face closer to his.

"But Otoya, the ice! You'll catch a cold!" Haruka tried to protest, but she was incapable of resisting the inexorable tug of his hand as he guided her down, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips.

"I feel anything but cold," he assured her before pulling her lips down again. Haruka was unable to protest any further, settling herself on top of him as their lips moved together in a familiar dance. Otoya stroked her cheek gently as the kiss slowly became more passionate. His other hand tightened around her waist as Haruka took the initiative, playfully dominating the kiss and sweeping her tongue across his. One hand kept her balance on his chest, and the other crept back into his hair, unable to get enough of its soft feel even through the fabric of her gloves.

Otoya groaned, losing himself to her ministrations as his hand at her waist slipped downward to cup her bottom. Haruka squeaked against his mouth, but refused to let him pull away, demonstrating with her kisses that she was more than okay with this development. In another moment Otoya suddenly broke away from her lips, pulling her closer to press searing kisses to the corner of her mouth, then her jaw, working his way down her neckline.

"Otoya…" Haruka breathed, clutching his jacket in her fist as he squeezed her rear, pressing her hips tightly to his. She followed his lead, slowly moving over him and pressing her hips more confidently downward. Otoya nipped at her neck in response, moaning in approval and appreciation of her movements. Haruka tilted her head towards him, drawing his lips back to hers as they ground against each other, rapidly losing their grip on reality. Haruka felt as if she had entered a pleasant haze, unable to focus on anything else but Otoya: Otoya's hands, Otoya's lips, Otoya's—

At that moment, Otoya shifted his hips, and Haruka felt something hard and persistent press into her lower abdomen. Her eyes shot open, and she froze above him as Otoya pulled back, meeting her gaze with a deep blush. Before he could say anything, Haruka canted her hips upward, purposely grinding herself more completely against the source of his embarrassment. His eyes widened, a soft puff of breath escaping his lips as his hand involuntarily tightened against her bottom, holding her there. They paused like that for a moment, staring at each other, their breath visibly mingling in the cold winter air. In the next instant, the two moved towards each other at the same time, lips crashing together halfway between as everything became not enough, and they needed to move harder, _faster—_

"…Nee-chan?" Haruka thought she heard a voice cut through her lust-filled haze, but she quickly dismissed the notion, refocusing her attention on Otoya and only Otoya.

"Haruka-nee-chan!" Haruka _definitely_ heard a voice that time, and her head snapped up, coming face to face with at least ten of the children from Otoya's orphanage. The children's curious gazes finally registered that it was Otoya below her, who was peering up at them upside down in completely surprise.

"Nii-chan? What are you doing?" one of the younger boys asked. An older one abruptly smacked him across the shoulder.

"Stupid! Isn't it obvious? Nii-chan's getting fresh with Haruka-nee-chan!" He nodded knowledgeably, and with those magic words the couple sprang to their feet in an instant, blushing profusely as they faced the group of children.

"What are you guys doing here?" Otoya asked abruptly, trying to distract the curious children from asking the questions he could practically see forming in their minds.

"We came to go ice skating!" A little girl said proudly, gesturing at the oldest boy who had spoken earlier, "Taka said you once showed him this cool place!"

"I did?" Otoya said, nonplussed, and the boy nodded vigorously. Otoya thought for a moment, but was unable to remember doing this. Smiling widely, he decided to play along anyway. "Of course I did!" he agreed, "It's only the best secret spot ever!"

This made the children even more excited, and they hurriedly shed their shoes, changing into their skates—effectively distracted from the circumstances of their initial arrival. As Otoya stepped forward to help the little ones, Haruka let out a small gasp.

"Otoya," she whispered, "your back!" Otoya shifted, feeling the wet and cold from lying on the ice seeping into his back and the backs of his legs.

"I'm fine," he said reassuringly, even as he felt a stab of cold shoot down his spine.

Haruka frowned. "No you're not," she disputed, "you need to change or you could get really sick!" She reached out, tugging him gently towards their things as she looked at the children regretfully. "I'm sorry, but we have to go now. If we stay, Otoya won't feel good tomorrow!"

Judging from the looks on their faces, she might have just told them that she was taking Otoya to another planet, never to return. One of the youngest girls made a heart-rending face. "Can't you just stay for a little while? Please?"

"Pleeeease?" the others chorused, each wearing a hopeful expression.

"Pleease Haruka?" Otoya echoed, meeting her eyes with the same expression as the children. Haruka closed her eyes for a moment, unable to play the tough guy for very long against such an onslaught.

She let out a long sigh. "Alright," she said, and everyone (including Otoya, the devil) let out a cheer. "But only for a little while!" she added, but anything else she would have said was effectively overruled by the children storming the ice with a playful shout. She glanced worriedly at Otoya, who flashed her a confident grin.

"Don't worry, Haruka," Otoya said sincerely, "We'll just stay for a little while longer." He turned away from her then, skating towards the children. Haruka hesitated for an unsure moment before sighing softly and hurrying after him.

-((The Next Day))-

Haruka was not surprised to find Otoya conspicuously absent from breakfast the next morning. "A little while longer" turned into several hours, and by the time the two had made it home, Otoya's clothes had dried stiffly, and his movements had seemed deliberate and measured. _It'll be a miracle if he doesn't have pneumonia, _she thought worriedly as she sat down to eat. After a moment, she saw another tray placed in front of hers, and she didn't dare to hope it was Otoya as she looked up.

Tokiya bid her a good morning as he sat down across from her, quietly tucking into his breakfast. After exchanging a few pleasantries and a bit of small talk, Haruka couldn't stop herself from asking the question at the forefront of her mind.

"How bad is he?" she asked after a moment of silence, staring down at her tray.

"He's not good, the idiot," Tokiya reported, and Haruka glanced up to see him staring intensely at a part of the table. "It's a miracle that he doesn't have pneumonia. He has a slight fever, so at the very least he has one hell of a cold."

"Is he awake?"

"Not anymore," Tokiya continued, looking up at her. "I woke him up long enough to make sure he wasn't seriously ill and he went right back to sleep." He sighed. "And with me leaving in a couple hours for a project out of town, the timing couldn't be better," he frowned, seriously worried for his roommate.

"Don't worry," Haruka said earnestly, reaching out to cover Tokiya's hand with hers. "I'll make sure he gets better. It's my fault; I should've insisted we come home earlier—"

"It's no one's fault but Otoya's," Tokiya said resolutely, shifting his hand so he could hold hers. "You're not to blame," he said, his sincere expression holding her gaze.

Haruka nodded, but she was still unable to completely squelch her feelings of guilt and regret. "…Even so," she said with conviction, "I'll take care of him."

Tokiya smiled at her determination, squeezing her hand gently. "I know you will," he said, and Haruka suddenly had the distinct impression that he was talking about more than Otoya's current sickness. He winked in a very un-Tokiya-like manner before taking his hand away, going back to finishing his breakfast. Haruka blushed, surprised at his implication. Before she could think of anything to say, Tokiya resumed the conversation. "I recommend checking in on him at lunch," he said as if nothing strange had just happened. "He'll probably sleep until then, but he has to eat sometime."

Haruka blinked before her lips formed a small, secret smile. "I'll be sure to do that," she agreed as she continued to eat her own breakfast.

-((Around Lunchtime))-

Haruka hesitantly knocked on the closed door of Otoya's room holding a bowl of soup. On the one hand, she was hesitant to disturb him from his rest; however, if he was as sick as Tokiya said he was then he needed to at least eat something, maybe take some medicine. At any rate, he could sleep no longer. When her knock received no reply, she steeled herself and opened the door. She left the door open to let some light into the dim room as she carefully made her way to Otoya's side, stopping next to his bed. She set the soup down on his nightstand, taking a moment to gaze down at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, and she really was loath to disturb him…she gently shook his shoulder, trying not to startle him. "Otoya," she said softly, bringing him into the world of the wakeful.

Otoya groaned and made a sleepy face of distress, turning away from the light shining in from the hallway. She shook him once more, but when he refused to budge she went to the window and opened the curtains, allowing the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the remaining snow to light up the room. Otoya made a noise of protest, shoving his face into the pillow before coughing violently into it with a deep, hacking cough.

Haruka returned to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder to turn him towards her. "Otoya?"

Otoya's eyes found hers and he smiled with a sniffle. "Hey Haruka," he greeted, and his voice sounded as if he'd been run over by a truck. She frowned, reaching out to press her hand to his forehead.

"Hmm," she contemplated, removing her hand before pulling his desk chair over to his bedside, "Tokiya's right; you do feel a little feverish…"

Otoya slowly sat up, giving her a valiant smile as he tried to clear his throat. It didn't work very well. "What, this?" he said nonchalantly, "It's just a little cold is all; nothing to worry about." As if on cue, he was suddenly overtaken by a severe coughing fit. Shaking it off after a moment, he smiled at Haruka as if nothing had happened. "Now, I've got a busy day ahead," he continued, starting to pull off the covers, "What time is it?"

"After lunch," Haruka replied, pushing on his chest to prevent him from getting out of bed. "President has already talked to your project managers to give you a few days off," she explained, reaching over to pick up the soup from the nightstand. "So _you_ need to stay in bed, and _I_ will do my best to help you get better." She carefully held the soup closer to him, ladling out a spoonful that she held out to him. He opened his mouth, unable to keep from blushing as she slowly fed him the soup.

He swallowed, asking her a question before she could continue. "What about you? You have work too, you know."

"I'll figure it out," she said vaguely, holding out another spoonful. Otoya took it, and for a while there was a comfortable silence as Haruka fed him the soup between bouts of coughing and sneezing. When he was done, she stood, intending to take the bowl back to the kitchen. "I'll be right back," she promised, "Please lay back down and rest."

"I'm sorry," Otoya said abruptly as Haruka turned to leave.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, staring down at the covers. "This is my own stupid fault. I wouldn't have gotten sick if I had just listened to you in the first place. And now you're going through all this trouble to take care of me," he met her eyes, guilt written over his features. "I'm sorry Haruka."

Haruka returned to him, bending to lace a tender kiss to his brow. "Don't worry," she said with a gentle smile, "I know you had good intentions. I'm just relieved that you aren't sicker than you are." She reached out, lovingly caressing his cheek with a hand. "Do you want to rest some more? I can shut the curtains again…"

"No, that's okay," he said, smiling slightly, "I'll sit up with you for a while." He reached out for her as well, but sneezed instead, causing Haruka to reluctantly pull away. He grabbed a tissue, blowing his nose as Haruka turned to go.

"I'll go put this away," she said as she headed towards the doorway.

"Hurry back," Otoya called after her.

Haruka paused and turned to face him. "Always, Otoya," she said affectionately before she headed out the door. However, by the time she'd went to the kitchen and stopped at her room to pick up some of her sheet music, Otoya had already fallen back asleep. She smiled, shutting the curtain halfway as she settled into his desk chair, watching over him as she worked.

-((To Be Continued!))-

Jeez this story is…yeah. It's written, the problem is that it's just so _long_ that it takes quite a bit to get it digital. Be sure to check for part two; it should be up relatively soon!

I had a bit of a bad day today; I would really appreciate some love and reviews!

Thanks for reading!

~freaky-hanyou


	2. Part Two

Hey guys. I'm sorry this is taking sweet forever, but I'm working away at it. It's a time sucker, lol, so I'm just going to get right to it! But thank you_ thank you _to everyone who has reviewed! It's really why I'm sitting her typing this monster: for you guys.

:D ALSO. If you have read any of my other UtaPri stories, someone might notice that some parts of this look strikingly similar to Tokiya's story, and I would say to them…you're right. I had some lines that I originally wanted to use in an Otoya story, and so I twisted em up a bit so they would it into a Tokiya story. Hence similarity! In case you're wondering.

On with the show! That has a **lemon,** bewaaaare~

**Burned by the Heat of Winter**

_Part Two_

-((A Couple Days Later))-

As Otoya's health slowly started to improve, the two fell into an almost easy routine. They spent so much time together that sometimes it felt as if Otoya wasn't even sick. Sometimes he would be sitting up in bed, laughing and joking with her as if nothing was amiss; other times he would feel so awful that he could barely lie down, and Haruka could do nothing but tenderly stroke his arm as he tried to rest. No matter the circumstances, Haruka was always there at his side to bring him medicine, help him eat, or simply keep him company.

Otoya woke from a nap late one afternoon to just such an occasion, blearily blinking away sleepiness to see Haruka sitting beside him. In the dim half-light of the room, it appeared that Haruka had given in to the idea of a nap as well; her composing notes lay abandoned on the nightstand as she lay back on the desk chair, curled into herself as best she could. Otoya let out a quiet chuckle as she made a cute little noise in her sleep, shifting ever-so-slightly. Said chuckle gradually morphed into a frown as he continued to watch her. For all his stupidity he really didn't deserve such fine treatment from her. _Who knows how much she's neglecting herself to take care of me?_ His frowned deepened at the thought for a moment before he settled himself back amongst his covers, deciding that he might as well go back to sleep himself. Every time he woke up he could swear he felt better and better. Comfortable once again, he glanced guiltily over at Haruka asleep in his hard, unforgiving desk chair. He really should convince her to sleep in her own room; she couldn't possibly be comfortable like that. Her head was cocked at a strange angle, her shoulders were torqued awkwardly, her chest was—

Otoya's eyes widened as he realized another result of Haruka's awkward sleeping position. At some point during all of her shifting and settling against the desk chair, her blouse had gotten caught and dislodged, shifting down and around until he could see _way_ more cleavage than her shirts usually permitted. He blushed heavily, his eyes transfixed on her as he worked to overcome his surprise.

_Well,_ _I definitely don't feel like going back to sleep now,_ he thought with dark humor as he came completely awake—certain parts of him more than others. He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from her; the rarely seen pale curve of flesh was too tempting for him to resist. The blush spread across his cheeks and down his neck as he willed himself to look away from her. _Stop being such a pervert,_ he berated himself mentally, but he seemed frozen to the spot. He forced his eyes shut, shaking himself. _Get a grip. I just have to fix her shirt; that's all, _he convinced himself. _I'll just tug it back into place, and she'll never know the difference._ That settled, he opened his eyes, expression determined as he leaned forward, reaching for her. Unfortunately, the chair was just out of his reach, and he shuffled around, trying to make it easier to get to her. He stretched, making his attempt a second time. This time however, he momentarily lost his balance as he leaned over the bedside, and he pulled back abruptly, crying out as he flailed, grasping desperately for the nightstand to regain his balance. All the commotion caused Haruka to come awake with a start, her eyes fluttering open. After a second of confusion, her gaze focused on a blushing Otoya who was clutching the edge of the nightstand like a lifeline.

"Otoya, what's wrong?" she asked in concern, trying to assess the situation. Before he could reply, her eyes fell upon a half-empty glass of water left on the nightstand from earlier in the day. "Did you want some water?" she asked, unfolding herself from the chair and leaning over to get it for him. This movement dislodged her shirt even _more_, and Otoya sputtered, flinging himself away from the nightstand even as his gaze remained fixed on her.

"Haruka no!" he said almost panickedly; Haruka's concern increased, but she sat back in the chair anyway.

"Otoya?"

"F-Fix your shirt," he managed to say, chivalry finally kicking in as he broke his gaze from her, staring at the bed in shame and embarrassment. Haruka looked down at her shirt and realized her altered state of dress. She blushed profusely, hurriedly yanking it back into place.

"I'm sorry!" They both said at the same time. They stared at each other, frowning for a brief moment.

"Why are _you_ sorry?" They said in stereo again. Otoya firmly shut his lips, gesturing for her to speak first.

Haruka willed her embarrassment to dissipate as she met Otoya's gaze. "I'm sorry that I let that happen; I didn't realize it was so loose, and it obviously upset you…I didn't mean—"

"Haruka." Otoya said, unable to allow her to continue thinking that way for a moment longer. "I wasn't _upset_ at all. You've nothing to be sorry about. I…Come here," he continued, opening his arms to her, needing her close to him that very instant. Haruka crawled over the covers, sitting up next to him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, taking her other hand in his own. "I wasn't upset," he repeated quietly, tenderly brushing his thumb over her hand, "I was…" He tried to figure out how he wanted to say it, quickly becoming frustrated as he squeezed her hand. "I couldn't take my eyes off you," he said suddenly, voice lowering huskily as he continued, "I want to apologize because I couldn't control myself; I couldn't look away even though you were so vulnerable and unaware—"

"It's okay," Haruka said, gently cutting him off as she pressed herself closer to his side, "You don't have to apologize." She turned her head, placing a soft kiss to his neck. "You can look."

"I…what?" Otoya said in surprise, his brain momentarily going offline.

"It's okay to look," she repeated, freeing her hand to turn his face to hers. "If it's Otoya, then it's more than _okay_ to look…" she leaned forward, kissing his cheek before whispering, "I want you to look."

Otoya inhaled sharply as his grip subconsciously tightened on her shoulders. Before he could reply, before he could even get the _idea_ to reply, she slipped out from under his arm, returning to the chair.

Otoya just stared at her, confused as to why she would pull away after such a confession. "Haruka?"

"You're still sick," she pointed out, reaching for her notes again, "I want you to focus on nothing but feeling better."

Otoya lay back down in defeat, unable to keep a small groan of disappointment from escaping his lips. "I hate being sick." As if to accentuate his point, he sniffled before he pouted cutely.

Haruka giggled, reaching out to run her hand through his hair. "You'll be better soon," she said reassuringly. She gasped as Otoya suddenly caught her hand, bringing it to his lips as he met her gaze. His eyes seemed to burn hers as he kissed her palm, briefly tasting her skin with his tongue.

"I can't wait," he said, eyes full of promise as he released her hand. She returned her hand to his hair, her grip slightly tighter than before.

"Me neither."

-((Several Days Later))-

Haruka sat at her desk, taking a break from catching up with her work by staring out the window at the wintry yard beyond. It was snowing again, the big white flakes falling gracefully past the window, occasionally sticking to the pane. Haruka found it extremely relaxing to just sit and watch the snowflakes fall outside. The snow had such a lulling effect, and it made her feel even cozier watching them from indoors. It would be even better if she had a book in her lap. Or if she had Otoya in her lap—

A blush quickly rose to her cheeks as the scene flashed unbidden before her mind's eye: Otoya spread out on the couch, his head in her lap as she read her book, absently tracing invisible patterns on his chest while the snow fell softly outside…

Haruka shook herself out of her musings. Lately, since Otoya had gotten better and returned to work, she'd hardly been able to think about anyone or anything else. To make matters worse, they both had a lot of catch-up work to do, so she'd barely seen him over the past several days. And with Otoya's words from that one afternoon refusing to be forgotten…

She sighed, staring down at her practically blank music sheet. _This is ridiculous,_ she thought, focusing back on the task before her. _It's not like I'm never going to see him again. I just need to buckle down and get this done. _She resettled herself and focused on the page, and it actually worked for about an hour or so until she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said, not looking up as she finished her musical thought, pencil scratching against the paper.

"I made sure to knock this time."

Haruka's pencil clattered to the desk as she turned to se Otoya standing there, closing the door behind him. He offered a little wave in greeting, and she stood, staring at him as if he was a hallucination.

"Otoya? Why aren't you—"

"There was a rescheduling," Otoya supplied before she could even finish asking, "and I have some free time before my next meeting." Color dusted his cheeks as he broke eye contact, rubbing the back of his neck in a sudden bout of nervousness. "I know you're really busy right now because of me, and I don't want to make it any worse for you, but I just couldn't…stay away," he finished lamely, looking up to meet her gaze once again. His eyes widened as he abruptly found Haruka draped against him, pressing a needy kiss to his lips.

"Don't ever force yourself to stay away from me," she said emphatically as Otoya wrapped his arms around her almost on reflex. "To tell the truth, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," she said in a rush, "about how happy I am that…that you're feeling better…" she trailed off, wondering if he would catch on to her double meaning.

Instead of replying, Otoya suddenly tightened his grip around her waist with one hand, the other shifting to her back as he dipped her, kissing her soundly on the lips. When he pulled away, his smoldering vermillion gaze eliminated any doubts she might have had about him understanding her meaning.

"I'm glad I'm feeling better too," he said in a low voice that she'd never heard before. "Would you like to celebrate?"

"Yes," Haruka breathed, and she brought her lips back to his, tangling both hands in his hair as Otoya set them back upright. His hand continued to hold her tightly against him as the other slid up and down her back, gradually gaining enough courage to slide lower, caressing her bottom gently. Haruka groaned against his lips, allowing him to guide her hips flush against his, pressing her against his rapidly growing arousal. They abruptly pulled apart for air, panting.

"Haruka…" Otoya started, staring into her passion-glazed eyes with a concerned expression. "Make sure you tell me when to stop," he said seriously, "I don't want to push you too far." His eyes were full of care and affection, despite the lust that appeared to be rapidly taking over.

A pretty blush spread across Haruka's features as she nuzzled her head into Otoya's neck, muttering something unintelligible in response.

Otoya's brow furrowed. "What?"

"I said," Haruka repeated into his neck at a slightly louder volume, "I don't want you to stop."

"_What?_" Otoya said again, red-faced as he tried to angle himself so he could see her better. "But Haruka—"

"What?" she asked, pulling back to look at him. She couldn't resist a small smile, gaining confidence from their mutual embarrassment. "You don't want to?"

"N-No!" Otoya protested, blush deepening as he sputtered, "T-That's not it at all—!"

"Then what's wrong?" she teased, sliding both hands from his hair, over his shoulders to rest against his chest. She really didn't know where this part of her was coming from.

If Haruka was surprised at her sudden change of character, then Otoya was positively floored. "Nothing's wrong; I…Haruka, are you sure?" He tenderly brushed his thumb over her cheek. "I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you…"

Haruka smiled, turning her head to place a soft kiss on his thumb. "I love you Otoya; please don't feel that you're pressuring me," she said. She suddenly took his thumb into her mouth, nipping at the pad of it in a way that unexpectedly sent a jolt of pleasure straight through Otoya from head to toe. She let go just as suddenly, a newfound glint of deviousness shining in her eyes. "Besides, didn't I say that I wanted you to look?"

Otoya could take no more, groaning as he swept Haruka into his arms, carrying her unceremoniously to her bed. After he set her down, he followed her immediately, climbing onto the bed to kneel beside her. He leaned down, pressing a languid kiss to her lips before pulling away, running his fingers through her hair as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"I love you Haruka," he said with a gentle smile. "I love you more than I have the words to say."

Haruka smiled a wide, happy smile. "Then stop talking, and you can show me instead," she suggested, and Otoya leaned back down, insistently pressing his lips to hers. His hand slipped from her hair, tracing across her collarbone to ghost over the fabric covering her breast lightly with his fingers. Haruka gasped at the contact, arching her back as she encouraged him to continue. Otoya tenderly nibbled at her lower lip as he increased his attentions, using one hand to hold himself up as the other memorized what hidden dips and crevices made her gasp and squirm under his touch. They pulled apart for a moment, and Haruka stared up at him, eyes wordlessly asking for more. Otoya smiled and shifted position, bringing one leg to rest on either side of her hips as he leaned forward, hands free to explore further. Haruka's hands coiled around his neck, gripping his shoulders as Otoya kissed her again, snaking a hand under her shirt. He lightly skimmed her stomach before his fingers curiously brushed over her breast again, gently palming her sensitive flesh. Haruka shuddered under his touch, fingers twisting in his shirt as she bit gently at his lip, encouraging him. Quickly Otoya's other hand joined the first, and he kneaded her with his hands, pulling away from her lips to watch her face, entranced by her impassioned expression. Her eyes slid shut as he pinched her through the fabric of her bra, and she squirmed, one hand drifting down his back to rest on his hip. As his lips returned to hers Haruka's hand slid under his shirt, nails scratching lightly up his back and bringing his shirt up to his shoulders. Otoya did her one better, pulling away from her long enough to pull his shirt off, dropping it to the side of the bed before he returned his attention to her. A hand to his chest stilled him, and before he could question her motives said hand flattened against the hard planes of his chest, tracing each defined muscle before skimming across his abdomen. His stomach quivered under her touch, and Haruka let out a sultry giggle. Otoya met her gaze, the simmering fire burning in his eyes taking her breath away. She sat up then, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and molding her chest to his, kissing him feverishly.

She pulled away, quickly realizing it was not enough. She reached down to remove her own shirt, but a pair of hands stilled hers. She looked up at him.

"Can I do it?" he asked, now only slightly embarrassed at asking such a question. Haruka smiled and nodded, moving her hands away as Otoya pulled her shirt over her head, adding it to the slowly growing pile on the floor. He turned back to her, heart rate quickening at the sight of her nearly-topless before him. He reached for her but hesitated, thinking. He opened his mouth. "Can I—"

Haruka leaned forward to crash her lips into his, effectively silencing his question and sending any other thoughts fleeing from his mind. She pulled back slowly, bringing her hands back to his shoulders as she dropped a kiss to his neck. "From now on, just assume that the answer is yes," she whispered, and Otoya nodded as he reached up to unfasten her bra. The tension slackened in a matter of moments, and Haruka raised an eyebrow curiously as she shifted her grip to allow him to remove it.

"What?" he asked with a grin, dropping the bra to the floor, "I never understood why guys are supposed to have trouble with them; they've never looked that difficult to remove to me—" he stopped defending himself, suddenly registering the sight that presented itself before him. Haruka couldn't stop her blush, locking her hands back around his shoulders to keep from covering herself. Otoya wrapped his arms around her, bringing his mouth close to her ear.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, and she smiled, pulling back enough to resume their kisses. Otoya's hands very quickly grew curious, and they skimmed over Haruka's hips, sliding up her stomach to enfold her bare flesh in both hands. Haruka gasped against his mouth, nails dully digging into his shoulders as he teased her with his gentle caresses. Her blush grew, and it wasn't necessarily from embarrassment as she broke away from his lips, shifting back slightly so Otoya had better access to her. Otoya was completely enamored by her pleased expression, increasing the pressure of his caresses as her eyes slid closed, hands dropping to grip Otoya's hips as she pressed herself into his hands. He tugged at her nipples, eyes widening when she let out a soft gasp, hips reflexively pressing up to his. It wasn't a very pronounced movement because Otoya still had his knees locked on either side of her hips, but nevertheless the added contact caused Otoya to inhale sharply, grip tightening on her instinctively as he ground his hips downward into hers more forcefully. He did it again and again, and Haruka's cries grew more and more broken as she became frustrated at her poor angle. After another moment she pushed at his hips, effectively stilling his movements as he raised an eyebrow.

"Move for a second," she said, and he shifted a knee to the side so she could unfold her legs from underneath him. She got up on her knees as well before she moved forward, carefully wrapping her legs around his waist and resting her weight in his lap. She caressed his cheek with her hand, smiling as she ground her hips into his again, gasping as the different angle sent a new wave of sensations rocketing through her.

Otoya bit back a groan as he held her hips in place. "Better?" he asked with a slightly strained smile.

Haruka nodded. "Much better," she agreed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she brought her lips back to his. Otoya tightened his grip on her hips, spreading his knees to increase his maneuverability before grinding against her again. He quickly decided that her idea to change positions was a good one, her lips swallowing his moan, surprised at how fast he could feel the tension tightening in his abdomen. He pulled back from the kiss, wordlessly gasping for air as Haruka continuously rotated her hips, a broken moan escaping her as she felt Otoya's arousal brush against her most sensitive place through the thin fabric of her pants. Otoya could do nothing but hold her to him, hips moving against her almost automatically as their cries grew louder and louder—

Otoya's fingers suddenly tensed, and he forcibly held her hips in place, stopping their movements and panting harshly as he leaned slightly forward, smothering the juncture of her neck and shoulder in open-mouthed kisses. He continued to hold her tightly, pulling back to stare into her eyes with a small, sheepish grin.

"I…need a minute," he said, his cheeks colored from passion and slight embarrassment. Haruka caught her breath, nodding before leaning forward, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping her arms around his waist. Otoya's grip shifted to encircle her hips, and the two stayed like that for a while, calming down slightly.

"Are you okay?" Haruka asked once his breathing had evened out somewhat.

"Yeah," Otoya said, placing a kiss on the top of her head, "I was just…feeling a little _too_ good, if you know what I mean."

Haruka nodded against him, holding him tighter. They sat there for a quiet moment, simply enjoying each other's comforting presence and the sensation of skin on skin. "Is feeling too good a bad thing?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Otoya frowned slightly. Maybe she didn't get what he meant. "Well, it would have kept us from doing anything else today, so yes, it would've been a bad thing," he said jokingly. _There. That's a little more obvious._

"No," Haruka said, pulling back so she could meet his gaze, "I mean…can feeling too good be a _good _thing without becoming a bad thing?"

Now Otoya was confused. "Huh?"

Haruka shifted off of him, trying to get her point across to him without actually forcing herself to say it. She looked into his eyes, her cheeks turning pink as she made herself speak. "I said," she repeated, "Can feeling _too good_," she emphasized, gaze breaking away from his to stare significantly downward at the now very prominent bulge in his jeans, "be a _good thing_," she reached out before her courage left her, gently palming him through the fabric before pulling away, "without becoming a…bad thing," she finished lamely, breaking eye contact as her embarrassment prevented her from continuing to speak.

On the other hand, Otoya was having trouble remembering _how_ to speak as his mouth went suddenly dry. _Does she mean—?_ "Haruka," he said finally, reaching out to tilt her chin, bringing her gaze back up to his, "Are you saying…" he stopped, swallowing before continuing, "You want to…to—"

"Yes," she whispered, "Would that be a…bad thing?" she mentally cursed herself for her sudden lack of confidence. _Why can't I just say it? He must think I'm an idiot—_

Otoya effectively scattered her thoughts by leaning forward, pressing a gentle, affectionate kiss to her lips. He pulled back taking one of her hands and pressing it flat to his chest, over his heart.

"Haruka," he said, "You can do or not do whatever you want…this is yours," he said with a warm smile. "I'm all yours. So that means," he slid her hand down his chest, resting it on top of his arousal, "this is too," he rasped out. He closed his eyes for a moment as she started to fumble with his belt before forcing himself to focus on her again. She gave him a hesitant smile before she focused on the task at hand, finishing undoing his belt before unbuttoning his jeans, slowly loosening the fabric. Now that he knew what she planned to do Otoya grew impatient, helping her by shifting his hips and pulling his pants and boxers off, kicking them off the bed. He sat back again, and for a moment Haruka could do nothing but stare at him, transfixed by the sight of his prominent arousal standing proudly between them. After a few moments of such unabashed staring and silence, Otoya started to grow uncomfortable. "Um. Haruka?" he asked, and her blush intensified as her gaze snapped up to his. He let out a chuckle at her 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression, opening his arms to her. Haruka crawled forward into his lap, allowing him to enfold her in his embrace, both choosing to ignore his arousal pressing into her hip.

"Sorry," Haruka whispered; Otoya held her tighter.

"You've nothing to be sorry about," Otoya said, tenderly stroking her back with a hand," You really don't have to do anything, seriously."

"I know," she replied, "but I do want to…it's just new and…extremely embarrassing," she admitted quietly from her favorite place pressed against his neck under his chin.

"It's just me," Otoya said with a smile, "Only me." He turned her so he could see her properly. "We've both been embarrassed at least a hundred times already right? Why's this one any different?" He leaned closer, nuzzling his nose against hers.

Haruka let out a little giggle. "I guess you're right…we both get embarrassed quite a lot don't we?"

Otoya nodded, looking pensive. "Hmm…I don't see an easy way to fix this problem, so how about we just take it slowly? And besides," he kissed her, gradually rekindling their previous passion, "you're really cute when you blush."

Haruka's slowly receding blush returned in full force, and Otoya's smile widened as he let out a husky chuckle. His levity quickly disappeared when Haruka's gaze fell upon his arousal once again. He cleared his throat. "D-Don't do anything you're uncomfortable with, okay?"

Haruka nodded, feeling a lot better than she did before. After all, it _was_ Otoya, and who better than he to share this experience with? She certainly didn't _want_ to experience this with anyone else, so she really should put her embarrassment aside and focus on him. Said embarrassment then faded away, giving way to curiosity about the man before her. Her hand slowly slid down his chest again. _I wonder what he'll do if I—?_

Otoya felt anticipation wash over him in waves as a small glint of mischief appeared in Haruka's eyes. An embarrassed Haruka was cute, sure, but _this_—

Any further thoughts scattered as Haruka's hand reached its destination, tentatively encircling the head of his arousal. Otoya inhaled sharply, hands coiling themselves in the bedspread as Haruka shifted onto her knees, deciding that she _definitely_ wanted to get a closer look. She slowly slid her hand down his length, and Otoya groaned, eyes closing for a moment to keep himself from losing it from visual stimulation alone. Haruka slid her hand back up again, gently caressing him with delicate fingers.

"Haruka," Otoya gasped almost desperately, his eyes half-opening to meet hers. "You can move faster," he said, and they slid shut again.

"Okay," Haruka nodded, moving her hand in two fast strokes before slowing down again, further intrigued by his immediate wordless protest, "but you have to keep your eyes open."

Otoya felt the tension building in his abdomen practically double from her words alone before he took a deep steadying breath, opening his eyes and willing himself to focus on her. She smiled at him before increasing her attentions again, tightening her grip on him as her hand moved quickly, encouraged by each new sound he made. Double-checking that he was watching her, her curious fingers explored his hardened flesh, delicately caressing the head before lightly tracing a prominent vein to the base with a fingertip. His hips thrust upward as he huffed out a breath, biting his lip. Her hand continued its rapid ministrations, the other reaching down to gently cup his testicles. She looked up, gauging his reaction.

Otoya's eyes nearly burned hers as he held her gaze, hips thrusting against her as a deep groan escaped his lips. "H-Haru…ka," he started, but the words died in his throat as she shifted, still holding his gaze while she leaned downward, lips tentatively encircling the head of his arousal in a scandalous kiss.

"_Haruka!_" Every muscle in Otoya's body seemed to spasm before he shot forward, pulling her away from him to flatten her against his chest, holding her as if she would disappear if he let go. Haruka started to comfortingly run her hand over his back, but stopped when he let out an almost pained sound. "Wait," he pleaded, grip tightening by a fraction. After another moment, he let her go, his gaze a degree clearer than it was before.

"Are you alright?" Haruka asked, clearly concerned.

"Definitely," Otoya assured her with a labored smile, "That was just…_really_ close to becoming a bad thing," he chuckled.

Haruka's concern melted away and she took his hand, pulling him close again. "I think it's time we made it a good thing," she murmured before laying back down on the bed, pulling on his hand so he would lay on top of her. He nodded, and with her help the rest of her clothing was added to the pile in moments. Otoya was unable to look away from her, entranced by the sight of her underneath him, completely bare to his gaze.

"Haruka," he said, cupping her cheek, and whatever he was going to say was lost as she leaned upward, capturing his lips and bringing his body flush against hers. Otoya's other hand slid up her thigh, skimming her pale flesh before he tentatively parted her womanhood with his knuckle, pressing against her. Haruka gasped, encouraging him by pushing herself into his hand. Haruka opened herself completely to him, legs falling apart so he would have better access as a hand wound into the hair at the nape of his neck. Otoya continued his exploration, slipping a finger inside her as he pulled away from their kiss to gauge her reaction. Haruka's mouth opened into a little 'o' as her breathing increased, eyes closing as he slipped in another finger. Otoya's smile turned devilish as he scissored his fingers, his other hand trailing down to teasingly pinch her breast.

"Open your eyes," he said huskily, and after a moment Haruka opened her eyes, forcing herself to focus on him through the rapidly growing lust overwhelming her body. She writhed her hips against him, groaning in pleasure when his fingers accidentally brushed against her nub. Before he could figure out what had just happened himself, Haruka reached down, guiding his thumb to the sensitive area over her entrance. Otoya pressed against her and her eyes widened, arching underneath him as he increased his pace.

"_Otoya…_" Haruka murmured in a low moan, and Otoya decided right then that he wanted her to say his name like that again, as often as possible. He added another finger, curling them inside her before he moved faster, spurred on by the sensation of her fingers tightening and tightening in his hair. He abruptly changed the tempo of his thumb, and Haruka cried out, hips locking forward as her inner walls spasmed around his fingertips. He continued his ministrations until her death grip on his hair slackened, and she fell back completely onto the bed.

Otoya smiled down at her affectionately. "Good?"

"Mhmm," she said, and before he could say anything else she reached down, aligning his arousal with her entrance. "Your turn."

Otoya licked his lips, already enthralled by the overwhelming heat that beckoned his hips forward. He stilled himself, meeting her eyes with his concerned ones one last time. "Are you sure?"

Haruka nodded, taking his hand in hers. "Go ahead." Otoya pushed into her slowly, and they both gasped at the new feeling of oneness. Haruka felt an uncomfortable stretching and burning sensation as he pushed forward but said nothing, tightening her grip on his hand while he continued. Otoya saw the pain flash across her face and started to stop, but Haruka protested with a tug at his hand. "Go," she whispered, and at that Otoya pushed his hips forward the rest of the way in one move, sheathing himself completely inside her. With marked effort, he held himself still, forcing himself to ignore the feelings threatening to overwhelm him and focus on her well-being.

"Haruka?" he questioned, bringing his free hand forward to tenderly caress her cheek. Haruka noticed said hand was shaking slightly, and she held it to her cheek, staring deeply into his eyes.

"It's alright," she said softly, shifting her hips slightly. Otoya's eyes widened and he slipped his hand from her cheek, holding her hip in place.

"Haruka," Otoya protested, voice strained as he struggled to hold his control over his body, "Don't you need a minute to—"

"Probably," she allowed, "but it might also feel better faster if we just…move, right?" she suggested, gently pulling his hand away from her hip.

Otoya held her gaze. "Just say the word, and I'll stop," he promised, shifting so both his free hand and the one holding Haruka's held his weight above her. "Okay," he said almost to himself before pulling out and pushing back in with one careful movement. He did it again, searching Haruka's face for any sign of pain.

He didn't see any. "You can go faster," Haruka said softly, and he was further encouraged when Haruka's free hand connected itself to the hair at the nape of his neck again. His control slipped as he sped up his movements, little by little allowing himself to lose himself to the feeling of her welcoming heat. Haruka wrapped her legs low around his hips, moaning in delight at the change of angle.

"Faster," she repeated with more abandon, and Otoya increased his movements, sweat gathering on his brow as he fought to hold onto any semblance of reason.

"_Otoya_," Haruka murmured in that same low moan as before, and Otoya couldn't take anymore, moving his hips against hers in a broken rhythm, any and all finesse or timing lost to the reality of being so _close_, just a little _more_—

In the next instant, Otoya felt Haruka's inner walls try to swallow him whole, and he cried out, driving himself recklessly into her as his orgasm rocketed through his body. Haruka's eyes slid closed as Otoya's release fueled her own, and it became difficult to determine where she ended and he started, so close did she feel to him in that shared moment. The stars slowly faded from her vision as she came down from her high, refocusing on the world around her. She looked down to see that Otoya's arms had given out, and his weight rested completely against her. She tenderly brushed her fingers through his hair, pleasantly comforted by his close presence. After a moment he stirred, shifting slightly to press a kiss to her neck.

"Haruka…" he murmured, and his voice was rough and barely recognizable. He winced. Did he really yell that loudly?

Haruka giggled and continued to stroke her fingers through his hair. He pulled back slightly, meeting her satisfied expression with a gentle smile. He cleared his throat before trying to speak again.

"Haruka—"

A sudden knock on the door startled both of them out of their pleasant afterglow. "Haruka? Haruka, it's Tokiya. Have you seen Otoya? We needed to leave for our show five minutes ago—"

The door started to open, and in a feat of impressive speed and acrobatics Otoya leapt from the bed, throwing himself against it and preventing Tokiya from entering. There was a pause on the other side of the door. "…Haruka?"

"J-Just one second, Tokiya!" she called out, already up and sorting through their clothes, hurrying to dress. "He's with me; we were just…" her words failed her when she realized she had no idea what to say. She had never been a good liar.

In another moment Haruka was dressed enough to open the door; Tokiya was greeted by the sight of a tomato-faced Haruka staring determinedly at the floor, while Otoya pulled his shirt fully over his head, also blushing. There was a moment where the two men stared at each other, saying nothing. Then, Tokiya burst into sudden laughter, turning and starting to walk down the hall ahead of Otoya.

"Damn; he's never going to let me hear the end of this," Otoya complained as he started out the door after him. When Haruka didn't respond, he turned back to find her still staring at the floor, face hidden by her hair; her shoulders were shaking slightly. "Haruka?" he asked worriedly, assuming the worst as he approached her again, "Please don't cry; I promise I'll make sure that he doesn't tell anyone," he tilted her face up, "He won't tease you either—" he stopped, confused to see that Haruka's shoulders had been shaking with silent mirth, not sadness. "Haruka?" he asked, confused as she was overtaken by a small giggle fit.

"It's nothing," she said reassuringly, snapping to reality and suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him chastely. "I'm just keeping a promise is all. Now hurry or you'll be late!" she said, pushing him towards the door. "Do your best!" Still confused, Otoya shook his head at her antics before heading back towards the door. "And Otoya?"

He stopped at the door frame, turning back to her. "Hurry back," she said, unable to contain her ear-to-ear smile.

Otoya grinned as well. "Always, Haruka." He shut the door behind him, and Haruka returned to her desk, bursting with energy, excitement, and new ideas as the snow silently cheered her on, continuing its peaceful journey past the window.

-((The End!))-

WOO. DONE. Gosh. Definitely my longest story. Sorry it took so long to get this out there, again.

I would say this is my last UtaPri story, but I know that's just simply not true. But it _is_ the last one I have in mind at the moment, so if you put me in your favorites I'm sure something will come along eventually. I'm not overly fond of Syo and Natsuki, but hey you never know, I guess?

Thank you for reading! _Please review!_

~freaky-hanyou


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